Heating system which transmits signals through ac power line

ABSTRACT

A heating system includes a gas appliance and at least a remote control device and a communication between the gas appliance and the remote control device is via an AC power line. When a user input a command through the remote control device, a command signal is modulated and sent to the AC power line. A controller of the gas appliance receives the modulated command signal through the AC power line, and demodulates it to control the gas appliance accordingly. On contrary, a working signal generated by the gas appliance is modulated and sent to the AC power line. The remote control device receives the modulated working signal through the AC power line, and demodulates it to show the related message on a screen.

The current application claims a foreign priority to the patent application of Taiwan No. 101141817 filed on Nov. 9, 2012.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a remote control of a gas appliance, and more particularly to a heating system which transmit signal through an AC power line.

2. Description of the Related Art

Gas appliance is a device which burns gas to heat something, such as gas water heater, gas fireplace, and gas dryer. Take the gas water heater for example, the guideline tells that it is preferable to be installed at outdoor or a place with good ventilation to exhaust carbon monoxide which is harmful to human. In order to operate the gas water heater, use has to go to the gas water heater, and it is a tough job for the user in winter time. An improved gas water heater has a control panel in the house for user to remote control the gas water heater. A conventional way of remote control includes RF transmission and DC power line communication. When both the gas water heater and the control panel are mounted in the same floor, RF transmission is a good solution. However, RF transmission is poor when the gas water heater and the control panel are mounted in different floors. It has to provide a DC power line to connect the control panel to the gas water heater for DC power line communication. A long distance transmission is an advantage of DC power line communication, however how to arrange the power line from indoors to outdoors is a big problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a heating system, which transmits signal through an AC power line.

According to the objective of the present invention, the present invention provides a heating system, which includes a gas appliance and at least a remote control device and communication between the gas appliance and the remote control device is via an AC power line. The gas appliance having a first controller and a first power line communication module, and the remote control device has a second controller and a second power line communication module. The first controller transmits a serial command signal to the first power line communication module; the first power line communication module modulates the command signal into a first carrier wave signal and couples the first carrier wave signal to the AC power line, and the second power line communication module receives the first carrier wave signal from the AC power line and demodulates the first carrier wave signal to obtain a control signal, which is in association with the command signal of the first controller, and the second controller receives the control signal from the second power line communication module to control the gas appliance accordingly. The second controller transmits a serial working signal to the second power line communication module; the second power line communication module modulates the working signal into a second carrier wave signal and couples the second carrier wave signal to the AC power line; the first power line communication module receives the second carrier wave signal from the AC power line and demodulates the second carrier wave signal to obtain a message signal, which is in association with the working signal of the second controller, and transmits the message signal to the first controller.

In an embodiment, the first power line communication module includes a first processor to modulate the working signal and demodulate the command signal, and a first coupler to couple the first carrier wave signal and decouple the second carrier wave signal, and the second power line communication module includes a second processor to modulate the command signal and demodulate the working signal, and a second coupler to couple the second carrier wave signal and decouple the first carrier wave signal.

In an embodiment, the first processor has a data modulator to modulate the working signal and a data demodulator to demodulate the command signal, and the second processor has a data modulator to modulate the command signal and a data demodulator to demodulate the working signal.

In an embodiment, both the first coupler and the second coupler are a pulse transformer.

In an embodiment, the gas appliance has a first power supply to supply the first controller and the first processor with power, the remote control device has a second power supply to supply the second controller and the second processor with power.

In an embodiment, both the first power supply and the second power supply are a switching power supply.

In an embodiment, both the first processor and the second processor are a field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA).

In an embodiment, the gas appliance has a burner, an igniter and a gas supply, and the first controller is connected to the burner, the igniter and the gas supply respectively to control the gas appliance.

In an embodiment, the gas appliance further has a control panel and a screen, both of which are connected to the first controller.

In an embodiment, the remote control device has a control panel and a screen, both of which are connected to the second controller.

The present invention provides a remote control system through the AC power network to control the heating system without extra control lines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the gas water heater of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the remote control device of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the gas fireplace of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description and technical contents of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only but not used to limit the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a heating system 1 of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a gas appliance and a plurality of remote control devices 38. In an embodiment, the gas appliance is a gas water heater 10, which includes a heater 12 and a first power line communication module 30. Each remote control device 38 has a remote control 40 and a second power line communication module 48. The first power line communication module 30 is connected to the second power line communication module 48 through an AC power line L for the communication between the remote control 40 and the heater 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, the heater 12 has a burner 14, an igniter 16, a water pipe 18, a gas supplier 20, and a first controller 22. The first controller 22 controls the burner 14, the igniter 16, and the gas supplier 20. The gas supplier 20 is connected to the burner 14 to supply the burner 14 with gas. The igniter 16 lights a fire to burn the gas so that the burner 14 heats water in the water pipe 18. A plurality of sensors 24 are provided in the heater 12 to detect the burner 14, the igniter 16, and the gas supplier 20, and the sensed results are transmitted to the first controller 22. A control panel 26 and a screen 28 are provided on the heater 12 and are connected to the first controller 22 for user to input commands and to show information of the heater 12.

The first power line communication module 30 includes a first processor 32 and a first coupler 34. In an embodiment, the first processor 32 is a field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA) to arrange necessary circuit modules therein according to the hardware, and the first coupler 34 is a pulse transformer. The first processor 32 has an universal serial communication interface buffer 321, a data modulator 322, a first modulated data register 323, and an active data transceiver 324, a second modulated data register 325, a data demodulator 326, a demodulated data register 327, wherein the universal serial communication interface buffer 321, the data modulator 322, the first modulated data register 323, and the an active data transceiver 324 are in serial connection to form a signal transmitting path, and the second modulated data register 325, data demodulator 326, the demodulated data register 327, and universal serial communication interface buffer 321 are in serial connection to form a signal receiving path. In an embodiment, the first controller 22 is electrically connected to the universal serial communication interface buffer 321 through RS-232 serial communication. The active data transceiver 324 and the second modulated data register 325 are connected to the power line L through the first coupler 34.

The first controller 22 of the heater 12 and the first processor 32 are electrically connected to a first power supply. In an embodiment, the power supply is a switching power supply 36 to supply the first controller 22 and the first processor 32 with power.

As shown in FIG. 3, each remote control 40 has a second controller 42, a screen 44 and a control panel 46, wherein the screen 44 and the control panel 46 are electrically connected to the second controller 42. The second controller 42 is stored with an identification code for the very remote control 40.

Each second power line communication module 48 has a second processor 50 and a second coupler 52. In an embodiment, the second processor 50 is a field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), and the second coupler 52 is a pulse transformer. The second processor 50 has an universal serial communication interface buffer 501, a data modulator 502, a first modulated data register 503, an active data transceiver 504, a second modulated data register 505, a data demodulator 506, and a demodulated data register 507. The same as the first processor 32, the universal serial communication interface buffer 501, the data modulator 502, the first modulated data register 503, and the active data transceiver 504 are serially connected to form a signal transmitting path, and the second modulated data register 505, the active data transceiver 504, the data demodulator 506, and the demodulated data register 507 are serially connected to form a signal receiving path. In an embodiment, the second controller 42 is electrically connected to the universal serial communication interface buffer 501, and the active data transceiver 504 and the second modulated data register 505 are coupled to the power line L through the second coupler 52.

The second controller 42 of the remote control 40 and the second processor 50 is connected to a second power supply. In an embodiment, the second power supply is a switching power supply 54 to supply the remote control 40 and the second processor 50 with power.

While a user inputs a command, such as change temperature, through any one of the control panels 46 of the remote control devices 38, the second controller 42 generates a serial command signal, which includes the identification code of the remote control 40. The command signal is transmitted to the data modulator 502 of the second processor 50 through the universal serial communication interface buffer 501 to be modulated into a second carrier wave signal, and then the second carrier wave signal is saved in the first modulated data register 503 waiting for the active data transceiver 504. Next, the second carrier wave signal is transmitted to the second coupler 52 through the active data transceiver 504. The second coupler 52 couples the second carrier wave signal to the power line L to transmit the second carrier wave signal to the first power line communication module 30 through the power line L. The first coupler 34 of the first power line communication module 30 receives and decouples the second carrier wave signal from the power line L, and then saves it in the second modulated data register 325 of the first processor 32 waiting for the active data transceiver 324. Next, the signal is transmitted to the data demodulator 326 through the second modulated data register 325 to be decoded to obtain a control signal, and then the control signal is saved in the demodulated data register 327 waiting for the universal serial communication interface buffer 321. At last, the control signal is transmitted to the first controller 22 through the universal serial communication interface buffer 321. The first controller 22 check the identification code in the control signal to identify which remote control device 38 gives the command and control the gas water heater 10 to change the temperature accordingly.

When the gas water heater 10 runs according to the command, the first controller 22 will generate a working signal, a signal of water temperature for example, and transmits it to the remote control device 38 which sends the command. The working signal includes the identification code of the remote control device 38 which sends the command. The water temperature signal is transmitted to the first processor 32 and modulated by the data modulator 322 to obtain a first carrier wave signal, and then the first coupler 34 couples the first carrier wave signal to the power line L to transmit it to the remote control devices 38 through the power line L. The first carrier wave signal is decoupled by the second coupler 52 and decoded by the second processor 50 in each remote control device 38 to obtain a message signal, which tells the water temperature. Next, the second controller 42 checks the identification code in the message signal and only the remote control 40 with the same identification code will shows the water temperature on the screen 44.

It is noted that we take RS-232 for the serial communication interface in above embodiment. In practice, any serial communication interface, such as RS-422, RS-485, I2C, and SPI, should be incorporated in the present invention.

In conclusion, the present invention provides a communication between the gas water heater 10 and the remote control devices through the AC power line, which may be the present power network, to overcome the problem of the conventional system as described above.

Except for the gas water heater, the present invention may be applied in all kinds of gas appliance.

As shown in FIG. 4, a heating system 2 of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention has a gas fireplace and a remote control device 84. The gas fireplace 60 has a heater 62 and a first power line communication module 78. The remote control device 84 has a remote control 86 and a second power line communication module 88. The first power line communication module 78, the remote control 86 and the second power line communication module 88 are the same as above, so we do not describe the detail again.

As shown in FIG. 5, the heater 62 has a burner 64, an igniter 66, a gas supplier 68, and a first controller 70. The first controller 70 controls the burner 64, the igniter 66, and the gas supplier 68.

The gas supplier 68 is connected to the burner 64 to supply the burner 64 with gas. The igniter 66 lights a fire to burn the gas. A plurality of sensors 72 are provided in the heater 62 to detect the burner 64, the igniter 66, and the gas supplier 68, and the sensed results are transmitted to the first controller 70. A control panel 74 and a screen 76 are provided on the heater 62 and are connected to the first controller 70 for user to input commands and to show information of the heater 62.

The first controller 70 of the heater 62 is electrically connected to a first processor 80 of the first power line communication module 78 through a first power supply. In an embodiment, the power supply is a switching power supply 83 to supply the first controller 70 and the first processor 80 with power.

When a user inputs a command through a control panel of the remote control devices 84 to control the fireplace 60, such as enlarging the flames, a second controller generates a serial command signal accordingly, which includes the identification code of the remote control device 84. The command signal is modulated by a second processor 90, and then a second coupler 92 couples the modulated signal to the power line L to transmit it to the fireplace 60 through the power line L. In the fireplace 60, the modulated signal is decoupled and demodulated by the first coupler 82 and the first processor 80 to control the heater 62 accordingly.

How to send a control message from the fireplace 60 to the remote control device 84 through the power line L and show it on a screen is the same as above, so we do not describe the detail here.

In conclusion, the present invention provides a communication between the gas fireplace 60 and the remote control device 84 through the AC power line, which may be the present power network, to overcome the problem of the conventional system as described above.

The switching power supply is small and light to be integrated in a circuit board. The first processor and the second processor as described above are FPGA to modulate and demodulate the signals because the FPGA may set various circuits. In practice, the first controller and the first processor of the gas appliance may be integrated in a FPGA, and the second controller and the second processor may be integrated in another FPGA to reduce the number of the electronic devices on the circuit board and reduce the cost. Except for the FPGA, complex programmable logic device (CPLD) may be used in the present invention.

The description above is a few preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the equivalence of the present invention is still in the scope of claim construction of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A heating system, which transmits a signal through an AC power line, comprising: a gas appliance having a first controller and a first power line communication module, wherein the first controller is connected to the first power line communication module, and the first power line communication module is connected to the AC power line; and at least a remote control device having a second controller and a second power line communication module, wherein the second controller is connected to the second power line communication module, and the second power line communication module is connected to the AC power line; wherein the first controller transmits a serial working signal to the first power line communication module; the first power line communication module modulates the working signal into a first carrier wave signal and couples the first carrier wave signal to the AC power line; the second power line communication module receives the first carrier wave signal from the AC power line and demodulates the first carrier wave signal to obtain an working signal, which is in association with the working signal of the first controller, and transmits the working signal to the second controller; and wherein the second controller transmits a serial command signal to the second power line communication module; the second power line communication module modulates the command signal into a second carrier wave signal and couples the second carrier wave signal to the AC power line; the first power line communication module receives the second carrier wave signal from the AC power line and demodulates the second carrier wave signal to obtain a command signal, which is in association with the command signal of the second controller, and the first controller receives the command signal from the first power line communication module to control the gas appliance accordingly.
 2. The heating system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first power line communication module includes a first processor to modulate the working signal and demodulate the command signal, and a first coupler to couple the first carrier wave signal and decouple the second carrier wave signal, and the second power line communication module includes a second processor to modulate the command signal and demodulate the working signal, and a second coupler to couple the second carrier wave signal and decouple the first carrier wave signal.
 3. The heating system as defined in claim 2, wherein the first processor has a data modulator to modulate the working signal and a data demodulator to demodulate the command signal, and the second processor has a data modulator to modulate the command signal and a data demodulator to demodulate the working signal.
 4. The heating system as defined in claim 2, wherein both the first coupler and the second coupler are a pulse transformer.
 5. The heating system as defined in claim 2, wherein the gas appliance has a first power supply to supply the first controller and the first processor with power, the remote control device has a second power supply to supply the second controller and the second processor with power.
 6. The heating system as defined in claim 5, wherein both the first power supply and the second power supply are a switching power supply.
 7. The heating system as defined in claim 1, wherein both the first processor and the second processor are a field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA).
 8. The heating system as defined in claim 1, wherein the gas appliance has a burner, an igniter and a gas supply, and the first controller is connected to the burner, the igniter and the gas supply respectively to control the gas appliance.
 9. The heating system as defined in claim 8, wherein the gas appliance further has a control panel and a screen, both of which are connected to the first controller.
 10. The heating system as defined in claim 1, wherein the remote control device has a control panel and a screen, both of which are connected to the second controller. 